Refrigerator defroster



Marc 2Q, 1954. J. TOY 1,951,456

REFRIGERATOR DEFROSTER Filed Sept. 22, 1932 [nvenfon chm/#75 y 5 +2Patented Mar. 20, 1934 REFRIGERATOR DEFROSTER John 11. Toy,Indianapolis, 'Ind.

Application September 22, 1932, Serial No. 634,337

6 Claims.

In modern refrigerators which have their own refrigerating devices it iscommon to have a super-freezing compartment for the quick freezing ofice cubes, salads, pastries, desserts, etc., the

walls of which compartments become so encrusted with frost and ice as torequire frequent removal. This has usually been accomplished by shuttingoil. the refrigeration until the refrigerator has warmed up from thesurrounding at- 10 mosphere sufficiently to melt the frost and ice or bythe introduction of hot water or air to hasten the operation.

This is attended by damage to the food contents of the refrigerator andby the cost of restoring the refrigeration after the defrosting has beenaccomplished. 4

The object of this invention is to apply an electric heating element tothe interior of the super-freezing compartment and close off thecompartment from ,the rest of the refrigerator interior toheat anddefrost the interior of the super-freezing compartment without heatingthe rest of the refrigeratorinterior.

The object, also,.is to provide a portable defroster which may beapplied to any refrigerator as an attachment.

A further object is to provide a device that will retain in thecompartment all of the heat generated by the heating element of thedevice and to provide an inexpensive quick acting and durable defrostingdevice.

I accomplish the above and other objects which will hereinafter appear,by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 isa view in side elevation and partial vertical section of a refrigeratorwith my defroster operatively applied thereto;

Fig. 2, is a detail in front elevation of a superfreezing compartmentwith my defroster applied-the latter being broken away at one corner,and

Fig. 3 is a view in inside elevation of my inventhe interior is reachedand within the interioris a super-freezing compartment 3, with the usualhollow walls for the circulation of the refrigerant. The surfaces ofthese walls become so encrusted with frost and ice as to interfere withthe proper functioning of the super-freezer and it is to remove thiscondition that my invention is particularly directed. It is accomplishedby placing an electric heating element or resistance 4 in ide of thecompartment 3, preferably as near the middle as possible to reach all ofthe walls alike.

The element 4 is of any usual and suitable con- 65 struction here shownas wound on a horizontal cylindrical insulation which is fixed to asocket 5. The socket 5 is supported by posts 6, 6, from a vertical door'7 made out of any sufliciently strong material which is also a goodnon-conductor of heat, such as a composition board containing asbestos,a board of wood or the like, adapted to close the open end of thecompartment 3 and retain therein the heat from the element 4. The boardis preferably provided on its outer side with a metal facing to giveadded strength and a better finish to the door.

The door '7 is removably attached to the compartment 3, here shown as byfour metal leaf springs 10, which have to be compressed for insertioninto the compartment. One end of each spring 10 has a laterally bent endwhich is secured by a bolt 11 to the inside of the door 7. The other endof each spring is curved inwardly to facilitate the insertion of thesprings in the compartment.

The heating element is connected by suitable wires with the servicewires of the building. They are contained in a cable having a fiatportion 12 for passage without damage under the door 2 when the door isclosed. Or the wires may be connected with a plug 13 shown in dottedlines in Fig. 1, which is permanently and suitably installed in therefrigerator.

The door has a handle 14 by which the door is placed in position againstthe super-freezing compartment and removed therefrom.

In some refrigerators the super-freezing compartment is divided by asub-floor into two separate compartments which requires that my devicecomprise a removable door with two vertically spaced-apart heatingelements attached thereto to be placed-one in each of the twocompartments of the super-freezer.

It will be apparent that my invention may be used as an attachment withany of the refrigerators in common use having their own refrigerat ingdevices. It is placed in position and electrically connected when neededand will operate without heatingthe rest of the refrigerator and Uwithout stopping the regular refrigeration or causing detriment to thefood contained in it. It is removed when defrosting is accomplished,which ordinarily occurs in about thirty minutes.

While I have shown and described the best embodiment of my invention nowknown to me it is possible to vary the structure in many ways withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention and I therefore do not desireto be limited to the structure here shown or any more than is requiredby the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerator having a super-freezing compartment open at oneend, a removable door closing the open end of the compartment, anelectric heating element supported within the compartment by the doorand an electric circuit including said heating element.

2. In a refrigerator having a super-freezing compartment open at oneend, a door closing the open end of the compartment, fasteners forremovably securing the door to the compartment, an electric heatersupported within the compartment by the door and an electric circuitincluding said heating element.

3. In a refrigerator having a super-freezing compartment open at oneend, a door closing the open end of the compartment, spring operatedfasteners for removably securing the door to the compartment, anelectric heater supported within the compartment by the door and anelectric circuit including said heating element.

4. In a refrigerator having an opening closed by a hinged door andhaving a super-freezing compartment open at one end, a removable doorclosing the open end of the compartment, an electric heating elementsupported within the compartment by the last door, an electric circuitincluding said heating element and a cable through which the circuitpasses, said cable having a thin flat portion passing the hinged door inclosed position of the door.

5. In a refrigerator having a super-freezing compartment open at oneend, a removable door closing the open end of the compartment, said doorbeing formed on its side next to the compartment of a good non-conductorof heat, fasteners for removably securing the door to the compartment;an electric heater secured to the non-conducting side of the door andprojecting into the compartment and an electric circuit including saidheating element.

6. In a refrigerator having a super-freezing compartment open at oneend, a door closing said compartment formed of non-heat conductingmaterial on the side next to the compartment and faced on the other sidewith metal, a plurality of spring straps secured to the door andremovably securing the door by resilient engagement with the inner wallsof the compartment, an electric heater secured to the door andprojecting into the compartment and an electric circuit including theheating element.

JOHN H. TOY.

